Tampa pool man charged in Tarpon home burglary

A Tampa man, arrested this weekend on drug and violation of probation charges, has been charged in a burglary last week at a Tarpon Springs home.

The victim in Friday’s home burglary told Pinellas County deputies that more than $103,000 in jewelry and personal items had been stolen from her home.

She told deputies she noticed the items missing when Henry William Gass, 31, a pool cleaner for Masters Pool Care, LLC in Tampa, had arrived at her home on Friday but quickly left after she lost sight of him for a few minutes, leaving his supplies behind.

Deputies from Pinellas and Hillsborough counties established surveillance and located Gass. During a traffic stop on Sheldon Road late Sunday night, Gass was arrested for drug possession, and for violating probation on a previous arrest in Collier County.

Deputies added charges of residential burglary and grand theft after the stolen items were located inside Gass’ work truck and inside his home.

During an interview with Pinellas deputies, Gass admitted to the thefts. He was transported to Hillsborough County Jail, where is in custody on $1,250 bond, and will be extradicted to Pinellas County on the burglary and grand theft charges.